Walking and sitting doll



Aug. 28, 1962 R. KAPLAN 3,050,903

WALKING AND sm'mc DOLL Filed March 23, 1961 INVENTOR.

IQ/fh Ka a/an B TORIVEY United 1 States Patent Office ass sts Patented Aug. 28, ii-T52 3,050,903 WALKING AND SlTTlN G DOLL Ruth 'Kaplan, 230-41 131st Ave., New York, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 97,849

9 Claims. (Cl. 46149) ing means of the doll-walking mechanism of the invention. a

The present invention relates to a walking doll, or the like, and more specifically to the walking mechanism for dolls, or the like.

Generally stated, in walking dolls the upper extremities of the doll limbs are circular and are rotatably engaged in suitable circular openings formed in the lower doll torso. In simulating walking movement for the doll, the doll is rested on one of the legs and the torso moved forward by the one walking the doll, in advance of this leg. This movement generally winds or tenses a mechanism which, when the doll is thereafter rested on its other leg and the first leg is released from contact with the supporting surface, causes the first leg to automatically return to initial position and forwardly, past initial posi- .tion. Thus, by alternately resting the doll first on one leg and then on the other, a walking movement, whereby the feet are alternately each moved back and then forth relating to the torso, is attained.

Various types of mechanisms for simulating walking movement in a doll have heretofore been attempted and used. All of these mechanisms have had the common characteristic of being relatively complex and costly to produce and install.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a generally improved and simplified mechanism for simulat ing walking in a doll.

, It is thus one object of the present invention to provide a'doll walking mechanism that is of the simplest construction and, therefore, economical to produce.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a doll walking mechanism of the character described which is relatively simple and easy to install on the doll. r r

It is still another object of the presentinvention to provide a doll walking mechanism of the character described which is formed with a minimum number of parts and is, therefore, less likely to go out of orderand will require a minimum of repairs.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll walking mechanism of the character described which is hi hly efiicient for its purposes.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the doll walking mechanism of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the'principle's and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without- .any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown. a

In the drawings: v 1

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, front elevational and partly sectional view of a doll body having the walking mechanism of the present invention; i FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of FIG. 1; the broken lines indicating an alternate position of the leg; and i FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the tension- Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the same is shown to comprise a hollow doll torso 18 which maybe formed in conventional shape and of conventional material, and having circular leg openings 12 formed at the opposed sides of the lower torso portion lying preferably in downwardly convergent planes, and spaced at their lower end by a crotch portion 14.

The doll is. provided with a pair of legs, 15 and 18, which may each bepreferably hollow and of any conventional type generally used in walking dolls. Thus, each leg may have an upper end having a surface lying in a diagonal plane at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the leg, with its lower end being disposed on the instep side of the foot.

The end face of the legs may comprise a peripheral flange 2i and may be preferably circular and of a size greater than the size of a leg opening 12, and the upper leg portion may he provided, adjacent its upper end, with a circular groove 22 of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of a leg opening 12, so that the upper end portion of the leg, above the groove 22, may be forced into a leg opening 12 and the leg rotatably engaged within said opening by the groove 22.

A pair of spring arms, generally designated as 24 and 26, each having a straight stern portion 28 and a laterally and upwardly curving portion 3%, are each held by its stem portion 23 in a bracket, generally designated as 32, secured on the crotch portion 14, of the torso 15), in upwardly extending position within the torso, in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the torso ill, and with their curved portions oppositely directed so that the upper terminal of each lies closely adjacent to and in contact with the upper edge portion of a leg opening 12. I

The bracket 32 may be of any suitable type, preferably consisting of two members each having a base portion 34 by which it is secured to the crotch 14 and an upwardly extending portion 36. The two members are secured with their base portions 34 oppositely extending and their upright portions 36 substantially back to backalong the width of the torso, as by rivets; the stem portions 28 of the spring members 24 and 26 being engaged between such upright portions 36 of the bracket members, and it may here be stated that preferably the two spring mem bers 24 and '26 may be integrally connected by the ends of their stem portions 23; if desired, the two bracket members may be integrally joined by a pair of the vertical edges of their upright portions.

Each of the legs 16 and ldhas secured across its upper.

end face spring engaging means which may be in the form of a metallic ring 40, that is secured to the flange 20 thereof, in any desired manner. Each ring 4% carries a lug 44 which, when the leg is secured within an opening 12 and its longitudinal axis is in a plane with the longitudinal axis of the torso 10, is disposed to the rear of and closely adjacent tothe end of a spring arm 24 or 26, as the case may be. Thus, the lug 44 of the ring 40 on leg 14 will lie immediately rearwardly of the end of spring arm 24, and the lug '44 of the leg 16 will lie immediately to the rear of the spring arm 26 of the leg' 18. Each of the rings 40 may also be provided with a secondlug 46, secured thereto forwardly of the lug 44 may further beprovided with afradial'indentation 48 immediately adjacentthe lug 46 onthe side thereof facing the lug .44; 'Aiid it may here be stated that, preferably,

the spring arms 3%} of the spring members 24 and 26 may be so curved and shaped as to each wipe'and press against the surface ofthe adjacent ring 4! and at approximately, 90 thereto, and each of the rings To wa k the doll, after the legs 16 and 18 are in place,

with their respective lugs id each disposed to the rearof the respective spring arms 24 and 26, in the position indicated-in broken lines in FIG. 2, the doll is'firsttiltably rested on one of its legs, as ltion a supporting surface V with the other leg out of contact with such surface,and thetorso moved forward of the leg 16. This causes the upper. end of the leg ldto rotate within theleg opening 12, so that its lug-454 presses against the freeendof the adjacent spring arm 24 and bends it forwardly to the position shown in solid lines in FIG.v lot the drawing.

' Suchrnovernent may be limited by the second of'the lugs I When thereafter 46engaging; against thelbracket 32 the doll is tilted in the opposite direction" and brought a to rest on the second of the legs, as 18, the tensed spring arm Eliot the released leg 16 will press against the lug 44 ofsuch leg, to throw the released leg 16 forwardly in position for the next step. 'Thus, by-alternately resting the doll first on one and then on the. other of the legs while: moving the'torso forwardly, a walking movement is simulated.

' Means maybe provided for maintaining a doll having the walking .mechanism of the present invention in a sitting position, with its legs forwardly extended- Such 1 means may consist of a detent, as in-the form of a radial groove or indentation 48, formed in the annular ring 40, immediately rearwardly of the second' of the lugs 46.

I By. turningthe legs in the. openings 12 to extend them forwardly, at right angles to the torso 10, the detent depressions"48 will be moved upwardly and rearwardly opposite the ends of the spring arms v which will then snapinto the detent depressions 48 to resiliently maintain the legs at right angles to the torso; downwardly pressure on the legs being sufficicnt to disengage the springs from the depressions 48 and to place the doll again in position of readiness for Walking.

This completes the description of the-doll walking and sitting mechanism of the present invention. It will be apparent that such mechanism is of highly simplified construction and easy. to install, thereby making such mechanism economical to use for dolls.

It will also be apparent that such mechanism is highly" eificient; for its purpose and has few parts that are likely to go out of order and require attention for adjustment and repair. 7 It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variations in the doll walking and sitting mechanism of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled .in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to beprotecte'd for any and all such modifications and variations @that may be made within the spirit of the present inven- 1 tion andscope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

ments within said torso, means on said crotch portion engaging each of said spring elements by one end, for supporting said spring elements in substantially upright posi ported by an end thereof in each ,of said'openings, a

tion,.each said spring element curvingaway from the other in :the directionof the upper portion ofoneof said leg openings and closely adjacent thereto, and means on the inwardly projecting portion-of each of saidjlegs exa tending into the'said' torso and-disposed, whensaid leg is in substantial alinement with said torso, closelyadjacent to and rearwardly of the free end of the adjacent spring element and engageable by said spring element when said. leg is moved to be disposed at a rearwardly extending 1 angle to said torso.

7 2. The 'doll of claim .1, wherein said portion of an leg extending into said torso comprises an inwardly 'ofiset flange portion on the end face of saidleg, and said means on said inwardly projecting leg portion comprises a metal-' lic ring secured to said flange and'a lug secured on said metallic ring extending'intosaid torso. V a

3. The doll of claim 1, wherein each of said spring elemen-ts includes a straightstem'portionaand"the meansengaging and supporting said spring elements comprises a pairof bracket e-lementseach including a base portion 7 whereby it is secured to said crotch andan upright por;

tion extending upwardly into said torso, said base portions secured to :said'crotch portion in oppositely facing directions with their'upright portions in juxtaposed position,- I

said stem portions of said spring elements engaged between said upright portions'ofsaid bracket members.

4. The doll of claim 1,-wherein said portion of said leg extending into said torso comprises. an inwardly ofiset flange portion on the endface of said leg, and said means on said inwardly projecting leg portion comprises a metallic ring secured to said flange and a first projection secured on said metallic ring extending into said torso, and V wherein said means supporting said spring elements comprises a bracket secured to the'crotch portion of said torso in upwardly extending relation thereinto and 'extending across the width of said crotch, and wherein a second projection is provided on said ring member spaced" approximately 90 forwardly from said first projection and is engageable against the edge of said bracket for limiting the rearward movement'of said leg relativeto said torso. 1

5. The doll of claim 1 wherein detent means 'are 'pro- I vided on a portion of said leg extending into said torso releasably engaging an adjacent spring element'when said leg is disposed at approximately forwardly extending position at substantially right angles {to said t-orso.g

6. The doll of claim 1, wherein said portionof-said leg extending into said torso comprises an inwardly olf-' set flange portion on the end face of said leg and said means on said inwardly projecting leg portion comprises i a 'metallic'ring secured to said'flange anda lug se'cured on said metallic ring extending into saidtorso, said spring element engaging/against said lug, and wherein detent' means are provided on said ring a'ta distance of 90 from said lug, and adapted to engage thespring element when said leg is disposed at approximately right angles to said torso.

'7. In a doll, including a torso having circularle'gopeningsin opposed corners thereof and a leg rotatably slip mechanism for simulating ,a walkingmovement. for said doll, comprising a pair "of elongated spring elements within said torso, means within said torso mounting each said spring element by one end thereof in positionwith' its other end disposed adjacent said end of one of said legs, and lug means on said end of said leg extending-1' into said torso and disposed, when said leg is in substanv tial alinement' with saidtorsojclosely adjacent to and rearwardly of said other end of the adjacent spring ale- Y ment and engageable by said spring element, when said leg is moved to be disposed at a rearwardly extending angle to said torso. v 1

.8. In a doll, including a" torso having circular'leg openings formed in'opposed ,cornersthereof, said openings spaced by a crotch portion, and a leg rotatably'supported by'an end thereof in each of said leg openings, a mechanism for simulating a walking movement for said doll,

comprising a pair ofelongated spring elements within said j torso, means within said torso supported on said crotch portion mounting each of said spring elements by one end thereof in position with its free end disposed adjacent the said end of one of said legs, and lug means on said end of said leg disposed, when said leg is in substantial alinernent with said torso, closely adjacent to and rearwardly of said free end of the adjacent spring element and engageable by said free end of said spring element when said leg is moved to be disposed at a rearwardly extending angle to said torso.

9. The doll of claim 8, wherein each said leg has a portion thereof extending into said torso and said lug leg.

means is provided on said last named portion of said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

